Tick-borne zoonotic flaviviruses and infections in wildlife hosts: What have field studies contributed?

Tick-borne flaviviruses and spp. are globally spread pathogens of zoonotic potential that are maintained by a transmission cycle at the interface between ticks and vertebrate hosts, mainly wild animals. Aside data on pathogen burden in ticks, information on the status of various hosts relative to infection is important to acquire.

Age- and Sex-Associated Pathogenesis of Cell Culture-Passaged Kemerovo Virus in IFNAR Mice.

Kemerovo virus (KEMV) is a tick-borne orbivirus transmitted by ticks of the genus . Previous animal experimentation studies with orbiviruses, in particular the interferon receptor double knock-out (IFNAR) mouse model, did not indicate bias that is related to age or sex. We endeavoured to assess the effect of serial and alternated passages of KEMV in mammalian or cells on virus replication and potential virulence in male or female IFNAR mice, with important age differences: younger males (4-5 months old), older males (14-15 months old), and old females (14-15 months old).

Tick-borne encephalitis.

Purpose Of Review: Tick-borne encephalitis continues to be one of the most significant causes of viral encephalitis in Europe and Asia. This review will focus on recent developments in the epidemiology, pathogenesis and therapeutic approaches related to infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus.

Recent Findings: There is a growing consensus that tick-borne encephalitis viruses are increasing in geographical range, with countries previously free of disease reporting detection of both human cases and presence of virus within indigenous tick populations.

Evaluation of Vector Competence of Ticks for Kemerovo Virus.

Tick-borne viruses are responsible for various symptoms in humans and animals, ranging from simple fever to neurological disorders or haemorrhagic fevers. The Kemerovo virus (KEMV) is a tick-borne orbivirus, and it has been suspected to be responsible for human encephalitis cases in Russia and central Europe. It has been isolated from and ticks.

Evaluation of two artificial infection methods of live ticks as tools for studying interactions between tick-borne viruses and their tick vectors.

Up to 170 tick-borne viruses (TBVs) have been identified to date. However, there is a paucity of information regarding TBVs and their interaction with respective vectors, limiting the development of new effective and urgently needed control methods. To overcome this gap of knowledge, it is essential to reproduce transmission cycles under controlled laboratory conditions.

[Which tools for monitoring emerging arboviruses within their mammalian hosts and arthropod vectors ?].

Arboviruses are viruses transmitted to humans and/or animals by hematophagous arthropods. They have a significant economic and public health impact. Given the number of arboviruses already identified and their great genetic variability, it is essential to have highly flexible tools for their monitoring.

Strategies for Assessing Arbovirus Genetic Variability in Vectors and/or Mammals.

Animal arboviruses replicate in their invertebrate vectors and vertebrate hosts. They use several strategies to ensure replication/transmission. Their high mutation rates and propensity to generate recombinants and/or genome segment reassortments help them adapt to new hosts/emerge in new geographical areas.